The Hottest Web Design Trends You Should Know In 2017

The web design world is constantly evolving. Every year, some trends are born, some fade and some just continue to prosper. Much like pixels are to an image, these design elements come together to create the face of the internet as we know it.

It’s no secret that the graphic evolutions we view on our screens are often the results of giant tech and web companies innovations. But design is also affected by a wide variety of time-sensitive elements such as fashion, news phenomena, cultural events and more.

So the million dollar question is: What are the hottest design trends for the upcoming year? We’re glad you asked! As you know, Wix offers the moststunning website templatesto help you begin your website on the right foot. But we’re taking it a step further. We interviewed the designers who created our templates, and picked their brains for all the info on the design trends that are going to take over 2017 – and how you can use them to keep your website looking fresh.

A general overlook: before & after current trends

In this mobile era, everything we’re looking for is at our fingertips – literally, we just have to scroll in order to find it. Even on desktops, we’re addicted to our mouse wheel or trackpad and it’s mostly thanks to social networks. As websites get longer and longer (see long scrolling), images go coast-to-coast and the rules of typography are changing to meet the needs of these new layouts.

To sum things up, website owners aren’t focusing anymore on providing the most detailed information to their visitors, but are instead choosing to convey their message in the most efficient and immediate way. Don’t misunderstand us: all the content is still there, it’s just displayed in a more streamlined and “sexy” way.

Just to give you an example, here’s how our consultant template has evolved in the past 2 years.

Now, that you’ve got the idea, let’s see what the trendiest styles are for the upcoming year:

Draw attention with GIFs

All right. Let’s be clear. Abusing Gifs and animations can definitely hurt your website’s UX (User Experience). But done in the right way, you can bring your website to life by accenting important aspects – ultimately bringing your design to the next level – without making your visitors squint.

Gifs (and animations) show a deep understanding of design and give a sophisticated touch to any website. We recommend using these on specific elements that you want to stand out such as, sales pop-ups, best selling products and so on. If you really want to be the coolest kid on the web, add some depth to your site with parallax effects. Tip: The ones available in the Wix Editor are breathtaking and there waiting for you.

In addition to the movement of Gifs/animations, you can create a 3D effect that will continue to tell your overall story in a fascinating way. If you find the recipe that fits your needs, you can be sure your visitor’s mouths will be watering. Need a cherry on top? Check out these freecinemagraphs!

Think outside the box with 3D geometric shapes

Now for a little history. Once upon a time, the big digital trend was skeuomorphism – bless us. The idea was to imitate real life objects on digital interfaces. For example, you probably remember the notepad on the iPhone that looked like an actual notepad. While cool and clear, it didn’t feel modern enough. Then, Flat Designtook over the web (Microsoft Windows 8 style) with minimalistic icons and strong color blocks with no reference to our actual world whatsoever it started showing up everywhere. While innovative, people got a bit lost. Finally, Google came out with Material design and brought some fresh perspective to geometric shapes, adding some shadows, motion and boldness to the geometric style.

Why the heck are we telling you this story? Because when Google flaps a wing the entire Web is shaken. And if they’re using geometric shapes, as should we. Visually, be ready to see more and more 3D geometric shapes in websites backgrounds and design support in general. Why? Because Google (besides your mom) knows best.

Break the rules with flashy typography

Yes. Big typographies have been trending for a long time now and that’s exactly why more and more web designers try to show their creativity and dive into uncharted waters. Before typography rules were very strict and things like hyphenated words and unclear lines were taboo. But-Not-Anymore.

Of course, mastering typographies is an art and as Picasso said: “Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them as an artist.” In other words, you should investigate the topic and learn as much as possible before dealing with this design tool. Once you feel confident about your knowledge, start playing with colors, arranging the spacing, combining it with your images and mixing different fonts … the sky’s the limit.

If you’re a Wix user, you’ll be able to enjoy a wide selection of free fonts. Didn’t find the perfect match? Just upload your own typography!

Go edgy: Be the king of pop (art)

If you have a keen eye for art trends, you’ve probably noticed that more and more pop colors are popping around the Web. The reason: edgy art is coming back big time! That said this doesn’t mean that everyone should jump on the trend. According to the nature and visual identity of your business, you might decide to use it or not. But this is definitely a fun and interesting trend to know about. As always, if you’re a Wix user, you don’t have to be Andy Warhol to use this style of imagery on your website. Just pick the ones you like best from our free images library. How cool is that?

Bonus tip! Customize your Google Map

Nowadays, every online consumer is used to seeing the famous map with the red pin. The problem: most websites’ maps look exactly the same. It’s time to change that. A cool and fashionable design tip is to customize your map in a way that complements your design. With Wix, you can personalize your Google Map to make sure you stand out in your customer’s mind. Obviously, you don’t have to pay a penny for that. It’s on the house!

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4 comments

Irina \ DEC 26th 2016

The hottest design trends you can always find in works of professionals. My favorite one is Olya Black. She works with love. I think this is the secret of her success. You need to know modern trends but nothing can replace professionalism of the real master. Olya works very quickly. You’ll have more than expected working with her. Visit her website and find the best design solutions. http://www.olyablack.com – custom website design services.

The Wix Team \ DEC 28th 2016

Hey Irina, thanks for sharing with us. We had a look at Olya’s website and it’s stunning :)